1,200 Calorie

1,200 calories per day is often called the 'floor' of sustainable weight loss for most adults - low enough to produce meaningful weight loss (typically 1-2 pounds per week) yet still workable if the macronutrient split is thoughtful and the food quality is high.

1200 calorie Mediterranean diet

1200-Calorie Mediterranean Diet: 7-Day Meal Plan

Short answer: A 1200-calorie Mediterranean diet applies the traditional Mediterranean pattern (olive oil, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish, moderate dairy, minimal red meat) inside a short-term weight-loss cap.

1200 Calorie Carnivore Diet

1200 Calorie Carnivore Diet (PDF)

Is it possible to maintain a calorie consumption of 1200 per day while following a carnivorous diet? A sedentary person should consume approximately 1,600 to 1,800 calories per day.

1200 calorie 21 day fix meal plan

Limited-Time Free 1200-Calorie 21-Day Fix Meal Plan

A 21-day fix meal plan makes a free 3-week program for you. The purpose of the program is to limit the calories you take at the end of the day to 1200. This way, you create a calorie deficit.

1200 calorie vegan meal plan

1200 Calorie Vegan Meal Plan

1200 calorie vegan diet plan brings along loads of health benefits that are not associated with all those non-vegetarian diets around.

1200 Calorie Paleo meal plan

1200 Calorie Paleo Meal Plan (7 Day)

One of the biggest reasons behind the popularity of the 1200 calorie Paleo meal plan is that it cuts down some of the most common allergens like wheat, soy, and gluten dairy.

1200 Calorie Dash Diet Menu

1200-Calorie DASH Diet Menu | Tasty Health Boost

How often do you find a diet plan that can help you with your hypertension issues? Not much, we reckon. Check out this 1200 Calorie Dash Diet Menu that works for the same cause.

1200 calorie meal plan under a budget

1200 Calorie Meal Plan on a Budget

Let’s talk about a 1200 calorie meal plan on a budget like adults. History has witnessed some great fitness enthusiasts who have scaled significant career success.

1200 Calorie Meal Prep

1200 Calorie Meal Prep for Entire Week

How often do you find yourself stuck in planning an entire weight loss meal plan for the week without having an actual idea about it? A lot of times, we reckon.

1200 Calorie High Protein Diet

1200-Calorie High-Protein Diet: 7-Day Plan (with Gram Weights)

Short answer: A 1200-calorie high-protein diet is a short-term weight-loss plan that keeps daily energy low while pushing protein to about 90 to 130 grams a day. The extra protein helps protect lean muscle during a calorie cut and reduces…

Other calorie levels

Calculate your daily target if you are not sure which level fits.

About this collection

1,200 calories per day is often called the 'floor' of sustainable weight loss for most adults - low enough to produce meaningful weight loss (typically 1-2 pounds per week) yet still workable if the macronutrient split is thoughtful and the food quality is high. It is the most-requested calorie level on this site and, when done well, one of the most successful for people with 20-50 pounds to lose over 3-6 months.

The 19 plans tagged here cover most diet frameworks at 1,200 calories: general balanced, keto, Mediterranean, high-protein, low-carb, vegetarian, vegan, paleo, pescatarian, gluten-free, DASH, and diabetic. Each plan targets a specific macro split - typically 90-120g protein (to preserve lean muscle), 20-30g fiber, and adequate healthy fats - and is calculated per serving against the Nutritionix database. Recipes are tested in our kitchen; nutrition math is cross-checked against USDA Dietary Reference Intakes.

Who 1,200 calories works for: adults, primarily women, with 20-50 pounds to lose, no medical contraindications, and no unusual activity demands. Who it does not work for: pregnancy or breastfeeding (needs 2,000-2,500), adolescence, active manual labor or serious training loads, athletes in-season, eating-disorder history, or anyone below a healthy body weight. Medication adjustments for blood-sugar and blood-pressure medications may be needed at this intake - work with your own clinician.

Condition-specific plans (1,200-calorie diabetic, PCOS, pre-bariatric, low-cholesterol, low-sodium) are written or reviewed by a Registered Dietitian on our team - Brenda Peralta, Kerly Cordova, Marita Radloff, or Karolina Peterova - and medically reviewed by Franco Cuevas, MD. General weight-loss plans at this level are developed and tested by our Food Editor Damla Sengul with nutrition-team review.